Hamantaschen With a Twist

By Pessy Haskelevich forJoy of Kosher Magazine

Roasted Pepper and Olive Hamantaschen

The delicate crust of these hamantaschen get a warm spiciness from fresh sage. This savory version will make a welcome snack to complement the copious amounts of wine being poured on Purim.

Yields: Approximately 2 dozen hamantaschen

For the pastry:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon chopped sage leaves
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
zest of 1 lemon
½ cup butter, chilled, cut into pieces; or 1/3 cup chilled olive oil
1 small egg
2-4 Tablespoons ice cold water (if needed)

For the filling:
2 red bell peppers
1 yellow bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
½ cup prepared black olive tapenade**
20 sage leaves
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil for drizzling

Prepare the pastry:
1. Pulse flour, baking powder, sea salt, chopped sage, black pepper and lemon zest in a food processor.
2. Add butter or olive oil and pulse ten times.
3. Add the egg and pulse until incorporated. If dough does not come together, drizzle ice water evenly over mixture and pulse until it just forms a ball. (Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.)
4. Divide dough in half and press to form two round discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for one hour.

Prepare the filling:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F .
2. Roast peppers for 20 minutes or until the skins are blistered. Let to cool until easy to handle and then peel, seed and stem the peppers. Slice lengthwise into 1/4” strips. Toss with salt and pepper and set aside.

To Assemble and bake:
1. On a generously floured surface, preferably on a baking paper, roll out the dough to ¼” thickness. Roll once, then pick up the flattened dough and turn it 90 degrees. Sprinkle with more flour if necessary and roll it out again. Repeat until dough is of sufficient thickness. (This procedure helps prevent the dough from sticking.)
2. Use a round cookie cutter or glass with 2-3” diameter to cut out circles of dough.
3. Place one sage leaf in the center of each circle of dough.
4. Smear 1 teaspoon of olive tapenade on top of each sage leaf.
5. Top with 4-6 strips of tri-colored peppers.
6. Lift up the edges of the circle to form a triangle. Pinch the corners securely so that they don’t open in the oven.
7. Line a cookie sheet with baking paper and place the assembled hamantaschen on the paper. Drizzle with olive oil and coarsely ground black pepper. Chill the hamantaschen in the freezer for about half an hour.
8. Repeat with second half of dough.
9. Bake the hamantaschen in 375°F oven for 20-24 minutes or until golden. Cool on rack.

** Available at gourmet supermarkets

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